Band-cutter and feeder



L t e e h S S t e e h S 2 E S 0 L O L m m M 0 m BAND CUTTER AND FEEDER.

fatented July 30, 1889.

//- INVEJVIOR N. PETERS. hmum rapmr. Wlshingwn, 0.0

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

L. CLOSE.

BAND CUTTER AND EEEDEE.

No. 408,084. Patented July 30, 1889.

WITNESSES zif' N. PETERS. Phulb-Lilhogmpher. Washington. u:c.

T torney UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEVI CLOSE, OF LEONA KANSAS.

BAND-CUTTER AND FEEDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 408,084, dated July 30, 1889.

Application filed March 7, 1889. Serial No. 302,259. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, LEVI CLOSE, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Leona, in the county of Doniphan and State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Band-Cutters and Feeders; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in band-cutters and feeders for thrashing-machines; and it consists in the improved construction and combination of the parts whereby bundles can be fed from each side of the apparatus to a tlu'ashing-Inachine and in which the straw, after the bundles are cut, is scattered and fed upon a single inclined way from which it passes into the thrashing-machine, as will be hereinafter fully set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of a band-cutter and feeder constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a side view. Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken through the line a: 00 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4: is a rear elevation.

The supporting-frame A may be of ordinary construction and is provided with side pieces A A the portions thereof which extend toward the thrashing-machine being extended slightly upwardly and connected to each other by a transverse board A, which carries beams B B, which serve as supports for spreaders located above the feeding-belts, the opposite ends of the beams being supported by a curved band I), the lower end of which is attached to the inclined dischargingboard 0. The side pieces of the frame are supported upon suitable legs, and on opposite sides of the side pieces A are secured laterally-extending frames D D, which are rigidly attached to be maintained in a horizontal position. These horizontal frames D D are provided at the front of the apparatus with horizontal shields or platforms cl and at the opposite ends with raised plate (1. These outwardly-cxtendi1fg frames next to the side pieces'A A are provided with slots 6, which are parallel with the side pieces, and through which slots play serrated knives or cutting-blades E, which cutting-blades are attached to a bar one end of which passes through a loop or guide 6, attached to the frames D beneath the horizontal projecting shelf, while the other ends of these bars are attached to a short crank-shaft provided with a driving-pulley, these CldllkSllELf'ES being supported in suitable stirrups under the frames D. The frames D are also provided with feeding-belts of ordinary construction.

Above and bctween'the feeding-belts, supported by the horizontal platforms D, is a frame which is attached to the beamsB B, this frame consisting of central cross-piece B and end pieces B At the ends of the pieces B are journaled crank-shafts f f, to which are secured feeding-arms, preferably four in number. These feeding-arms f are connected at their upper ends to imvardly-extending bars or bails E, which are of different lengths and are suitably pivoted on each side of the crossbeam 13. The bends in the crank-shaft F are equal when measured from each side of the center, and the feeding-arms f are also of the same length, and by providing bails or loops having arms of different lengths the feeding bars or armsf will be so located that each set of bars attached to the bails will be either raised or lowered at different periods, so as to give a continuous feed.

To the ends of the parallel beams B are pivotally secured frames which carry feedingrollers G, these rollersbeing provided with suitable pulleys and driving-belts, and when desired the frames carrying these feed-rollers G may be thrown upwardly, and as they are permitted to swing upon pivots, which pivots are the ends of the crank-shafts f, they will adapt themselves to the size of the bundles. Excessive downward movement of these feedrollers is prevented by suitable stops attached to the beams B against which the side pieces of the frame will abut.

Above the inclined boards C, in rear of the finger-arms and rollers, is journaled a crankshaft H, which carries two or more feedingarms h, the upper ends of which are connected to rods h, pivotally secured to the upper end of the fingers h at their front ends and at their rear ends to loops secured to the board A.

The inclined board 0, hereinbefore referred to, is provided with a series of slots 0, and to the under side of this board are attached a series of beveled strips 0', which are of about the same length as the slots. Beneath the board 0 are secured feeding-fingers I, the upper ends of which are bifurcated, as shown at 'i, so that each feeding finger or bar will have two tines passing through independent slots in the board 0. These feeding-fingers I are connected to a crank-shaft K, the ends of which bear in bars 76, pivotally secured at their inner ends to the side pieces A of the frame and which can be raised or lowered and secured permanently in position by means of bolts and clamping nuts, which pass through slots 70 in the side pieces A of the frame, so that the distance which the fingers will project through the slots can be varied when desired.

The end of the crankshaft K is provided with a suitable pulley and the lower ends of the fingers are pivoted to bars Ii, through which a transverse shaft passes, so as to hold the inner ends of said bars in place.

It will be observed that all the feedingfingers I employ in connection with my improved band-cutter and feeder move in the are of a circle, each adjacent feeding-finger moving alternate with the one next to it. These feeding-fingers may either have their ends bifurcated, as those referred to by the letter I, or they may be made of a single piece, the upper ends being formed into an eye, the side pieces extended from thence parallel with the portion wrapped around the crank shaft, from which crank shaft the terminals are parallel with each other, thus providing fingers which are slightly separated. This construction is the preferred construction employed for the feeding-fingers h.

The feeding-fingers may be made of a single bar bent to form an eye which embraces the crank-shaft, the upper ends being also formed into eyes with which the ends of the bails may be secured.

The whole front portion of the apparatus, with the exception of the space occupied by the curved supporting-band Z), is open, so that the feeding can be watched and any obstructions removed.

In operation two operators stand in front of the plat-forms d d and feed the sheaves upon the belts. The rollers G will take hold of the sheaves after they have passed beyond the feeding-belts and hold said sheaves upon the knives until the bands are on t, after which they will feed the straw inwardly. The straw is then caught and moved farther inwardly by the fingers f, and as the straw falls upon the inclined board it is fed downwardly and separated by the fingers I, while the upper fingers will also assist in separating the straw and prevent the space above the inclined board 0 becoming clogged.

Differentparts of the apparatus are driven by a series of belts, which may be arranged as shown in the accompanying drawings.

By having the knives arranged in substantially the same plane as set forth the feeding capacity of the belt is not only free throughout its length, but there is no tendency to retard or clog its feeding operation, as would be likely in constructions where the knives are arranged transversely over the belt and are caused to descend to sever the bands on the bundles moving thereon.

Another advantage connected with my improvement consistsin the fact that, inasmuch as the knives are arranged in substantially the same plane, when lowered they are entirely out of the plane of travel of the bundles, and but a very slight movement is required to project them to a position that would sever the bands. This is important over prior constructions where the knives are suspended above the belt, for said knives in such cases have to be elevated to such a'height as will insure their non-interference with the feeding movement of the bundles,'which requires an extended descending sweep to effect the severing of the bands.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a band-cutter and feeder for thrashing-machines, the combination, with the endless feeding-belt, of the vertical serrated band cutting knife arranged transversely relative to said belt and in substantially the same horizontal plane, said knife being attached to a bar, and crank-connections therewith to impart a vertical horizontal reciprocation to said knife and intermittently proj ect the serrated portion above the plane of the endless belt, substantially as set forth.

2. In a bandcutter and feeder for thrashing-machines, the combination, with the endless feeding-belt, of the vertical knife arranged transversely relative to said belt and in substantially the same horizontal plane, connections for imparting to said knife a vertical horizontal reciprocating movement to intermittently project the cutting port-ion above the plane of the belt, and a frame suspending a toothed feed-roller immediately above said knife, substantially as set forth.

3. In a band-cutter and feeder for thrashing-machines, the combination of the endless belts on either side of the discharge, transverse knives arranged adjacent to the inner ends of the said belts and in substantially the same horizontal plane, connections for vertically and transversely reciprocating said knives, as described, toothed feed-rollers arranged immediately above said knives, and feeding-fingers and their operating devices between said knives, substantially as set forth.

4:. In a band-cutter and feeder for thrashin g-machines, the combination of the endless belts arranged at either side of the discharge, transverse knives arranged adjacent to the inner ends of said belts and in substantially the same horizontal plane, connections for vertically and horizontally reciproeating said knives, as described, toothed feedrollers imn'lediately above said knives, reciprocating feed-fingers to move the grain in the direction it is fed by the rollers, and a second set of reciprocating fingers operating at right angles to the fingers first mentioned.

5. I11 a band-cutter and feeder for thrashing-machines, the inclined slotted dischargezontal rods pivoted at one end to a fixed portion and having their other ends pivotally connected to the bifurcated ends of the bars, substantially as set forth.

6. In combination with a slotted inclined board 0, a series of beveled strips 0, bars I bifurcated at their upper ends to provide fingers which pass through the adjacent slots in the board 0, said bars I being centrally connected alternately to opposed bends in a crank-sh aft, and bars L, for limiting the movement of the lower ends of the feeding-bars I, substantially as shown', and for the purpose set forth. a

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

LEVI CLOSE. itnesses:

Ms. S. BEELER, FRANK LUeAs. 

